International Higher School of Practical Psychology

What International Higher School of Practical Psychology does

The International Higher School of Practical Psychology (IHSPP/SPPA; legal name: Starptautiskā Praktiskās Psiholoģijas Augstskola) is a private higher-education institution founded in 1988 and headquartered at Bruņinieku iela 65, Riga, Latvia. The institution specialized in practical psychology and translation studies, awarding Bachelor's and Master's degrees in both disciplines, with secondary faculties in design, advertising, and operations that have subsequently been discontinued. The school served secondary education graduates and adult learners seeking professional qualifications in psychology and interpreting/translation.\n\nThe core academic portfolio comprised BA and MA tracks in psychology (preparing specialists for education, healthcare, sports, social services, and business) and translation studies (preparing interpreters and translators for business, tourism, culture, and international relations). Supporting infrastructure included a Consulting Center (Konsultatīvais centrs) for psychological services, a Language Resource Center established in cooperation with the European Centre for Living Languages in Graz, a Psychological Resource Center, the Solus Art Gallery (operational since October 1996), and the University of the Third Age program for seniors over 50. A licensed Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy program was delivered jointly with the World Association of Positive Psychotherapy (Bad Wiesbaden, Germany) and the Baltic Psychology Consultants Association, featuring 4 weekend sessions over 8 months with Skype-based practical intervisions. International mobility was historically provided through Erasmus exchanges with partner universities in Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Russia.\n\nThe institution operated a mixed revenue model: enrollment fee €30, tuition-anchored degree programs (specific tuition not disclosed), one-month short professional courses at €100 each, the 8-month psychotherapy program at €726 payable in installments, a children's entertainment program at €100/month or €7 per single 3-hour session, and Erasmus grants of €681.44/month (2012-2013 academic year). The institution obtained permanent accreditation in 2001 and participated in Socrates-Erasmus from 2003. SPPA officially ceased its academic degree activities in 2014 and no longer admits new students; the school now directs prospective applicants to partner organizations (the Baltic Psychology Consultants Association and Alternative Academy Third Age), while continuing to host a consulting center, conferences, seminars, and the licensed psychotherapy training program.

Name

International Higher School of Practical Psychology

Legal name

Starptautiskā Praktiskās Psiholoģijas Augstskola

Website

https://sppa.lv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Closed

Short description

International Higher School of Practical Psychology (IHSPP/SPPA) was a private higher-education institution founded in 1988 in Riga, Latvia, offering BA/MA programs in practical psychology and translation studies, plus short courses, a consulting center, the licensed Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy program, and the University of the Third Age for seniors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAFAJ

School Counseling & Student Support Services Preparation Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Teacher Training Colleges (Education Schools)

SECONDARYEDAIAKAF

Student Wellbeing & Counseling for International Students (Non-Clinical Support)

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Student Support & Cultural Integration Services

Keywords

• Higher education programs
• Psychology degree programs
• Translation studies programs
• Professional certificate courses
• Psychological counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Riga

HQ country

Latvia

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

International Higher School of Practical Psychology (SPPA/IHSPP) is a private higher education institution in Riga, Latvia, that historically delivered Bachelor's and Master's degree programs in Practical Psychology and Translation/Interpretation studies, short-term professional certificate courses through its '10x10' Department (web design, languages, journalism, photography, etiquette, etc.), a licensed 8-month Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy program, a campus-based Consulting Center for psychological counseling, and the University of the Third Age for seniors. The school has ceased academic activities (since 2014) and no longer enrolls degree students, but continues to operate the Consulting Center and the licensed psychotherapy program in partnership with WAPP (Bad Wiesbaden) and the Baltic Psychology Consultants Association.

Product overview

International Higher School of Practical Psychology (SPPA/IHSPP) is a higher education institution founded in 1988 offering a portfolio of educational programs and support services. Core offerings include Psychology Department programs (BA and MA degrees training specialists for education, healthcare, sports, and business) and Translation Faculty programs (BA and MA in interpreting/translation for education, business, tourism, culture, and international relations). The institution supplements its academic offerings with the '10 x 10' Department providing one-month certificate courses in web design, foreign languages, journalism, photography, and other professional skills; a licensed 'Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy' professional program; a Consulting Center for psychological services; and the University of the Third Age for psychological education of people over 50. Support infrastructure includes the Language Resource Center, Psychological Resource Center, and Solus Art Gallery. The school also operates various student clubs (Italian, Spanish, German, French, English language clubs, drama, and literary studios). Note: The institution has ceased academic activities and no longer accepts students. Previously offered Design Faculty and Operators Faculty programs have been closed.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates receive Bachelor of Professional Psychology degree with psychologist-assistant qualification
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Savonlinna University (University of Joensuu)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Erasmus exchange agreement for student and teacher mobility. Finnish partner institution specializing in English language studies. Part of SPPA's international exchange network since 2003.
• Lyon University-2 (Lumiere-Lyon 2)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench university partner for Erasmus student exchange and academic collaboration. SPPA's Psychological Institute cooperates with the Psychological Institute of Lyon University-2. French lecturers have been working at SPPA through French Embassy cooperation.
• University of Cologne (Universität zu Köln)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman partner university for Erasmus exchange and student/teacher mobility. Active cooperation within the Erasmus framework.
• University of MilancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerItalian university partner for Erasmus student and teacher exchange. Part of SPPA's European partner network.
• Veliko Tarnovo UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBulgarian university partner within SPPA's Erasmus exchange network.
• University of Kaluga (Kazan Federal University - Faculty of Psychology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRussian university partner for student and teacher exchange under Erasmus and bilateral agreements. Faculty of Psychology of Kazan University participates in joint academic programs and conferences.
• French Embassy in Latvia (Centre Culturel Français)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultilateral cooperation with the French Embassy through whose aid teachers from France have been working at SPPA for multiple years. Also supports French language clubs and cultural activities.
• Association of University Teachers of FranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the union of university teachers of France for academic exchange and professional development.
• Russian Academy of Education - Research Center for Family and ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation under international treaties in various fields of science and pedagogy. Joint research and academic programs on family and child psychology.
• St. Petersburg University - Department of PsychologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing cooperation with the Faculty of Psychology of St. Petersburg University under international treaty agreements.
• St. Petersburg International Institute for HumanitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with St. Petersburg International Institute for Humanities for academic collaboration in psychology and related fields.
• Moscow State University - Psychological Department (Prof. V. Zinchenko, B. Bratus, F. Vasilyuk)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContacts developed with faculty of the Psychological Department of Moscow State University including prominent professors V. Zinchenko, B. Bratus, and F. Vasilyuk for academic collaboration.
• Psychosynthesis Association of New Mexico State (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational cooperation with the USA through the Association of Psychosynthesis of the State of New Mexico and Psychological Center 'Progress Without Borders'.
• Hannover Center of Psychotherapy (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation with Hannover Center of Psychotherapy in Germany for professional exchange and development in psychotherapy.
• European Centre for Living Languages in Graz (Austria)coreTechnology or IntegrationOngoing cooperation with the European Centre for Living Languages in Graz resulted in the creation of SPPA's own Language Resource Center, providing students opportunities to improve foreign language knowledge.
• Ventspils UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Latvian partnership with Ventspils University for student and academic exchange.
• Higher School of Social TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Higher School of Social Technology in Latvia for academic cooperation and exchange.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCooperation with DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) for academic exchange, materials, and professional development.
• University of Amiens (France)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic contacts with University of Amiens (Prof. B. Madie) for psychology and education collaboration.
• L. Pasteur University, StrasbourgminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic contacts maintained with L. Pasteur University in Strasbourg, France, for cooperation in translation and language studies.
• Psychologists of Lithuania (R. Kochunas, G. Homentauskas)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional collaboration with Lithuanian psychologists R. Kochunas and G. Homentauskas in cross-cultural psychology.
• Jaan Van de Paul (Netherlands)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration with Dutch psychologist Jaan Van de Paul in psychology and counseling.
• Baltic Psychology Consultants Association (Baltijas Psiholoģiskās Konsultēšanas Asociācija)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner organization co-organizing the 'Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy' licensed program and running the Consulting Center. After SPPA ceased operations, this association and the Alternative Academy Third Age continued activities.
• World Association of Positive Psychotherapy (WAPP, Bad Wiesbaden, Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program 'Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy' offered with WAPP (Bad Wiesbaden, Germany) and the Baltic Psychology Consultants Association. The program is licensed and leads to professional certification.
• Association of Foreign Languages Teachers of LatviaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Association of Foreign Languages Teachers of Latvia for professional development and curriculum alignment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• RISEBA University of Applied Sciences: Private business and creative arts university in Riga offering business, communications, and psychology-adjacent programs; directly comparable private HEI positioning.
• Daugavpils University: Second-largest regional university in Latvia offering social sciences, education, and translation programs; comparable as a public alternative competing for the same regional student pool.
• University of Latvia: Latvia's largest comprehensive university offering psychology, translation, and humanities degree programs in Riga; competes for the same domestic student pool as SPPA.
• Turība University: Private Latvian higher education institution offering multiple professional programs including business and social sciences; comparable as a private, multi-disciplinary Latvian HEI.
• Liepāja University: Regional Latvian public university offering teacher training and humanities including psychology elements; comparable regional Latvian HEI serving similar undergraduate segments.
• Riga Stradiņš University (RSU): Latvia's leading medical and health sciences university offering psychology programs in Riga; directly comparable as a domestic peer providing higher education in psychology and health-related fields.

Broad incumbents

• Kazan Federal University: Major Russian federal university with psychology faculty that partnered with SPPA; comparable as a large established HEI offering psychology programs and serving as a reference for SPPA's faculty collaboration model.
• Stockholm School of Economics in Riga: Established private business school in Riga backed by Stockholm School of Economics; comparable as a well-capitalized private HEI operating in the same Latvian higher-education market.

Regional players

• Vytautas Magnus University: Lithuanian comprehensive university in Kaunas offering psychology, translation, and social sciences; comparable regional Baltic HEI with similar program mix and Lithuanian psychologist faculty ties.

Emerging players

• Baltic Psychology Consultants Association: Professional association partner that absorbed SPPA's consulting activities after closure; directly comparable as a successor entity operating in transcultural psychotherapy and counseling in the Baltic region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sppaugstsskola
• Xx.com/sppalv

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about International Higher School of Practical Psychology